Interior Design
Never Miss Another Deadline
By Gail Doby, ASID CVO & Co-Founder, Gail Doby Coaching & Consulting & Design Success University Fulfilling your obligations is the mark of a true professional, and that includes meeting deadlines. If you struggle to keep on top of your commitments, take some time to think about what’s getting in your way. It usually comes…
Read MoreEarnings Modest for Most Design Firms
While a handful of interior designers are attracting lucrative projects and media attention, most design firms are just getting by. Of the designers who responded to our 2014-15 Interior Design Fee and Salary Survey, nearly half said they expected their firm’s total gross sales for 2014 would be $100,000 or less. More than two-thirds (69%)…
Read MoreAre You An Entrepreneur Or Is Interior Design a Hobby?
When you signed up for interior design school, did you have any idea what the real world of interior design really involved? I know I didn’t. It never occurred to me that 90% of the job was administrative, detail and project management. It was a rude awakening for me, and I adapted, but it wasn’t…
Read MoreHow to Create the Illusion of A Bigger Business
Many designers work alone and feel that their clients don’t value them as much as if they were in a nice studio or office. Today’s clients are more pragmatic and understanding, but at the same time, they want great service and a great experience. One of my wonderful VIP clients told me about a telephone…
Read MoreHow to Get Your Interior Design Clients to Sell You on Working with Them
Interior designers … this is for you! So many interior designers have told me that the get nervous when they meet a prospective client for the first time. That’s completely understandable. After all, you want them to like you enough to hire you, right? How would you like to learn an easy way to change…
Read More5 Things They Don’t Teach You in Interior Design School
By Gail Doby, ASID Interior design colleges do their very best to teach you how to design and to do the technical parts of the business. Please do not think I am knocking them at all. Their time is limited in their curriculum, and it is impossible to teach you everything you need to know…
Read MoreDesigners Top Challenges
Industry indicators show a definite upswing in interior design business activity this year. But the word on the street gives a picture that is more mixed. Some designers are very busy, while others still struggle to land more than minor projects and consultations. Earlier this year, in our Interior Design Fee & Salary Survey, we…
Read MoreDoes Your Interior Design Have A Defined WOW Factor?
I have to admit, I’m a bit of a Seth Godin fanatic. What I love about this post is his view about defining the your market. It’s all about changing the game. One of the most important ways of doing this is by naming your services or your products. Come up with something catchy and…
Read MoreHow Scary is Your Cash Flow?
I’ve heard from a few designers lately that their cash flow is very low right now. Why is that? There are many reasons: There was some time in the past that your marketing was happening inconsistently. You may not see the immediate effect of not marketing consistently – it always shows up months later. You’re…
Read MoreDo You Enjoy the Hunt for Interior Design Clients? Part 2
In the first part of the series, I asked if you enjoy the hunt for interior design clients. Here are some questions to contemplate whether you are a seasoned veteran, or you are thinking of being an interior designer: What is your real reason for being an interior designer…what is your why? Do you have…
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